The Visit
by Midoriri
Summary: An old woman goes to revisit her old friends, and maybe do a bit more...Slight AU


"I don't see why we have to come out here again," complained the ten-year-old boy, kicking the back of his father's seat.

"Joey, step that," his father reprimanded, but without any feeling. "You know this trip is important to Grammie, so please, just _try_ to behave..."

Joey shoved his hands in his pockets, casting a side-long glance at his grandmother. "Grammie makes the trip every year, and it's always the same. I don't see why we have to come with her. She's only here for about ten minutes anyway..."

"Joey, Grammie has a heart problem, you know that," came his mother's voice. "And she's too delicate to leave out here by herself. She's an _old_ lady, Joey. She needs us to be with her."

"Grammie" acted like she couldn't hear a thing. And perhaps she couldn't. She was too busy staring out the window, watching the passing scenery. "Oh, my goodness..." she said, her voice soft and raspy with age."I remember this place very well. M-hm..."

Joey rolled his eyes but slid closer to his grandmother. "Hey, Grammie," he said, leaning close to her ear and speaking loudly. "We're almost there, okay?"

Grammie nodded, smiling softly. "Yes, that's right...I'm almost there..."

"_We're _almost there, Grammie. _We're._"

"Joey, leave Grammie alone and put your seat-belt back on."

Joey stared at Grammie for a few seconds before shrugging and moving back to his seat, clicking his seat-belt around his waist. Grammie slowly turned her head and smiled at him. "Did I ever tell you..." she began."That you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago? M-hm...You both have the exact same spunk," and she laughed quietly. "A lot of spirit, m-hm..."

Joey's parents shared a long-suffering glance at these words. Grammie was always talking about "someone I knew long ago," but she never specified who exactly. Sometimes she seemed to be talking about several different people, since one day she would refer to "spunk," then "so calm and sweet" or "a bit proud maybe, but wonderful," versus "seemed a little modest, if you ask me." Either she was referring to many people, or this person was schizophrenic.

He cast another look at Grammie, seeing her calm smile. She seemed so calm and contented for the past few weeks now...maybe because of the trip. They made it every year, on the same date, at the exact same time. Grammie would hobble out of the car, Joey's parents watching from their windows, as she hobbled her way down to a few grave-markers and kneeled down. It was only when Joey was old enough to accompany her that he knew what she was saying. She would talk to the occupants of the graves, speaking of strange things, mostly of devils and angels, and good hearts beneath frightening exteriors, and love, and all sorts of stuff. Joey never quite understood it. He doubted he ever would.

Finally, they pulled up to the cemetery, the car slowing to a stop. "Grammie, do you want us to come with you?' asked Joey's father.

"Oh, no thank you," rasped Grammie. "I'll just take Joey with me, as always." All this was said as she opened the door and stepped out, beginning her ascent towards the raves. "Come on, Joey..."

Joey sighed like he was bored, but he hurried as quickly as he could to leave the car, ignoring his parents protests to not slam the door. "Wait!" his mother called suddenly. "Ask Grammie if she took her pills!"

Joey waved over his shoulder to indicate that he had heard her, as he took Grammie's arm and led her to the usual spot.

Grammie knelt down onto her knees, eyeing the stones one after another, inclining her head at each one, as if to say hello. "My old friends," she rasped. "It's nice to see you again."

Joey stood, hands in pockets, listening to his grandmother's ramblings. More stuff about devils, angels, love, and hearts. And thank-you's. Lots of them...the usual stuff she said, and yet, he felt a sense that old him this would be different.

"Joey, my dear," said Grammie all of a sudden. "I never told you about my friends, did I?"

Joey shrugged. "No, you didn't."

Grammie smiled again. "Well, you see...you'll never believe this, but once, I was quite the singer."

"Hm."

"I was. And it turned out, that my singing could do wondrous things...like heal the sick and wounded."

"Grammie, you told me this story when I was five, remember?" asked Joey, turning to face her. She had told it to him several times, right before bed, until the day his mother told Grammie that she shouldn't tell lies to a young and impressionable boy, and Grammie had to stop.

"Yes, but I didn't tell you some other things..." Grammie smiled again. "Did you know that the evil men who had kidnapped me were a devil and his master?"

Joey froze. "Devils?"

"M-hmm...and my friends saved me. A wonderful group they were...this one here," she said, pointing. "This one was the wonderful nun-girl...not so nunnish, in reality," she added, chuckling. "And this one was another devil, but he was such a nice one, oh yes. This one was a good witch, and here's her sister. I didn't know her too well and she wasn't a friend, really, but they were buried side by side, you know."

Joey only stared. "Grammie...did you take your medicine?" he asked quietly.

Grammie only smiled, until she suddenly fell to the side.

"GRAMMIE!"  
"Joey...please forgive me for this, my dear...can you forgive an old lady?"

Joey shook his grandmother's shoulders. "Grammie...Grammie!"

Grammie didn't hear a word. She was too busy looking at something only she could see. Several shining figures, each leaning over her, each wearing a clear, happy smile on their face. "Hello, my old friends," Grammie rasped.

"We've been waiting for you," said the first figure, one with sparkling blue eyes.

"It's good though, that you took so long. It's fantastic," said another, the only boy in the group. "You've lived quite a long life."

"Are you ready to come with us?" asked the third and final figure. "If not, we have to hurry back. I have to get back to my sister..."

"I'm coming, friends..." breathed Grammie, going still.

Joey screamed, grasping his grandmother tightly. "GRAMMIE! GRAMMIE, WAKE UP! GRAMMIE!"  
"Please stop crying, Joey," came a voice.

The boy lifted his tear-stained face to see a young girl, transparent, but cheerful... and familiar. "Grammie?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm sorry I had to do it this way," she whispered. "Would you promise me something?"

Joey, wiping his eyes, nodded. "Anything for my Grammie..." he hiccupped.

The young girl smiled. "Tell your mother and father I'm sorry...and please, tell them I asked you to bury me here, okay?"

Joey nodded. "'Kay..." he sobbed.

The girl leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Thank you, sweetheart," she whispered. And Joey watched in amazement as she took the hands of a blonde girl and a boy clad in red, with a red-haired woman patting her head, and they walked off, finally vanishing, only their happy laughter remaining.


End file.
